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Date:         Fri, 22 Dec 2017 17:50:22 -0800
Reply-To:     Steven Johnson <sjohnso2000@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Steven Johnson <sjohnso2000@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Friday post, some van, some other...
In-Reply-To:  <CACvdLxOEb96BZ6NdeL961zR6AoASTku6q+P6j1OOBWb0EWhGeQ@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"

All the fluids have a distinctive odor to me. I've smelled oil, coolant, transmission fluid, gas, diesel...and sometimes a joint as well.... Oh wow man....

Steven 91 Westy

On Dec 22, 2017 5:23 PM, "David McNeely" <davmcneely40@gmail.com> wrote:

> Oil burning emits blue, not white smoke, but some folks might not tell the > difference. Truly white smoke is usually engine coolant vaporizing then > condensing in the air. Burning oil also has a distinct odor. At least > that is my experience as well as what experienced others have told me. > Either way, I'd not count on learning anything good upon further > examination (or driving). > > On Fri, Dec 22, 2017 at 12:56 PM, John Rodgers <jrodgers113@gmail.com> > wrote: > > > Guys, I hate to be the bearer of bad news. This "clouds of white smoke" > > while going up a hill (I my case going around a tight on-ramp curve) > along > > with an empty reservoir and full overflow tank, has happened to me in > two > > of my vans and in both cases it preceded and engine failure requiring an > > engine overhaul. > > > > The empty reservoir combined with full overflow tank indicate an internal > > seal failure leaking combustion gases into the cooling system, thereby > > pressurizind it and blowing the coolant out of the system by way of the > > overflow tank. Coolant won't necessarily give the billowing white stuff > but > > more like steam. But real billowing white stuff that is somewhat opaque > > that shows going up hill or around a curve is most likely oil. You need > to > > have a compression test done right away. > > > > I my situation in case #1 I would get billowing smoke going around a > curved > > ramp.I was new to vanagons back then, ignored it, being it was Thursday, > > thinking I would have it looked at on Monday. Wrong!! Sarurday night on > > I-40 in between Somewhere and Nowhere, Oklahoma, cruising right along > > with everything looking good, I heard a loud "POP"in the rear, and I > > instinctively look in thevresr view mirror. There was an 18 wheeler > > closing from behind and in his light I could see clouds of smoke boiling > up > > from behind the van. There was a ramp just ahead at a service station. I > > pulled jinto their parking. Oil was every where. Back of the van, and the > > engine as dripping oil all over underneath. Checked the oil level, itt > > didn't measure on the dipstick. I put more oil in up to the mark and > > started the engine. Oil pouredcfrom underneath. I was done. Called a > > flatbed to come and get the van and hauled into Clinton, OK. Had to > stayar > > Holiday Inn 'til Monday. Had the van again towed to a garage. They noted > > the oil was coming from a rocker box gasket and put one on. On starting > the > > engine, the new gasket immediately blew out. A compression test then > > compression on one cylinder to be competely flat. The conclusion was > > something had happened internally, and exhaust gasses were pressurizing > the > > case, going up thru the pushrod tubes into the valve rocker area and then > > blowing out the seal/ gasket. Being under pressore the oil was really > > blowing out. They- nor I - was prepared to deal witn an engine change, > so I > > GOT A U-haul truck and Auto-trailer and hauled it to Birmingham, Ala to a > > shop I knew there. On teardown it was found that the head and piston had > > buned through pressuring the case. I wasn't far from a major engine > > failure, probably throwing a rod.i'n any case I got a good price on a new > > engine from a local rebuilder. > > > > Same van, different engine. I basically ran out the engine. At 178 ,000 > > miles it stared smoking and I could smell coolant. Cylinders were low on > > compression check , so the engine was pulled. On disassembly, the heads > > were cracked 9 places. Given that this was the second run on this > engine, I > > figured it was done! > > > > I'm now working on a Subaru EJ2 .5 conversion including the 5 speed > > transmission. No hurry, but will post 'pictures and progress!! Btw, this > is > > an '88 Tintop! > > > > John R > > > > On Dec 22, 2017 08:56, "Marc Perdue" <mcperdue@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > > Yeah, so, my van seems incapable of running longer than a week or two > > > without something happening, dang it. > > > > > > You all may recall I had written about the red blinky light coming back > > on > > > just after starting the van up. There was plenty of coolant, and the > temp > > > seemed fine, though I discovered it was leaking a small amount of > coolant > > > from the lower thermostat housing. > > > > > > I took the van into my local Volvo shop because they love working on > vans > > > and they're closer than 40 miles away. They fixed it and cleaned it up > > > inside and out, an additional service I got for "free" from many visits > > > getting vehicles repaired. The van looked and ran great . . . for a > > while. > > > > > > Last Saturday, I bought a "new" car to trim down my fleet of vehicles. > I > > > know, that doesn't make sense. I bought it so I could get rid of my POS > > BMW > > > wagon, plus we're giving my wife's Volvo to my daughter. New car is a > > 1999 > > > Volvo V 70 R with 81K miles on it. Woot! > > > > > > Back to the van, I was driving the van up to the DMV to take care of > > stuff > > > for the new car and I noticed that whenever I went uphill, big clouds > of > > > white "smoke" went billowing out the back. Well, I noticed this when I > > was > > > about a mile from home, so I took it back home and grabbed a different > > car > > > to go to the DMV. Sigh... > > > > > > I checked the van later and, while I can't see any signs of a leak, the > > > coolant reservoir is empty and the expansion tank is down by about an > > inch. > > > For the moment, I'm thinking that the shop, after replacing the > > thermostat > > > housing failed to deal with any coolant having been lost during the > work, > > > and/or bleeding the system... > > > > > > There's no end with this van... > > > Marc Perdue > > > > > >


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